SW France Flashcards
What are the characteristics of Tannat and where is it found?
Most often found in MADIRAN. Also Cahors.
- Often blended w Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Fer to soften astringency
- Tough, deep black-berried grape
- Deep colour, very high potentially astringent tannins, high alcohol, raspberry aromas and ageing potential
- Micro-oxygenation created to help soften tannins
What is Auxerrois?
Malbec in SW France/Cahors
What is Malbec like in SW France
Thin-skinned grape which needs more sun vs. Cab Sauv or Merlot
Often cultivated in bush vines (gobelet)
Produces darkest and most tannic wines in limestone soils of Cahors
Ripe fruit gives deep colour, ample tannins and aromas of damsons, tobacco and raisin
Characteristics of Duras/where grown?
Deep color, full bodied wines with good structure and acidity
Found in Gaillac
Early budding
Usually blended w Fer and Négrette
What is another name for Fer? Where is it found? What does it taste like?
Braucol
Main component in Gaillac, also found in Madiran and Bergerac
Currants, red fruits, soft tannins
Where is Negrette found, and what is it like?
Must dominate the blend in FRONTON
Suited for hot, dry climates
Fruit with slight animal and violet
What is Mauzac?
Principal white grape in Gaillac
Appley, aromatic
Blended with Len de l’El
What is Len de l’El?
Minor ingredient in Gaillac
Powerful and characterful but can be flabby
What is Ondenc?
White grape in Gaillac with poor yields and rot
What grapes are used in Jurancon?
Petit Manseng (high quality, thick skinned, sweet wines)
Gros Manseng (more generous yields, usually only used for dry wines)
What are the subregions of Bergerac?
Monbazillac, Saussignac, Haut-Montravel - all for botrytized sweet wines. Left Bank of the Dordogne
What is Bergerac like (location, climate, wines)?
Both sides of Dordogne, past Entre deux Mers and Right Bank Similar climate to Bordeaux with less maritime influence Similar soils (alluvial silt to clay and limestone)on higher terraces Makes mainly reds from Bordeaux varieties w increasing proportion of barrel-aged Cotes de Bergerac (lower yields & higher abv ~12.5%abv) and whites (Bergerac sec)
What is Buzet like?
In the Garonne valley, southeast of Bordeaux/Graves
AC created in 1973 under strong influence of cooperative Les Vignerons de Buzet who spearheaded the use of sophisticated barrel ageing
Mostly red; all Buzet must have min 1yr in barrel
Mainly gravels and clay hills planted with the 3 main Bdx varieties, especially Merlot
What is Cahors like?
East of Bordeaux, north of Toulouse along the Lot river
Climate influenced both by the Mediterranean and the Atlantic; great sun exposure; cold winters
Revival since 1956 after phylloxera/competition wiped out
Auxerrois/Malbec is the key grape (min 70% of AC’s blend) w Merlot & Tannat for the remaining 30%. Oak aging
TANNIC when young; BERRIES, LICORICE, HERBS; CEDAR EARTH
What is Gaillac like?
Dynamic region NE of Toulouse on both sides of the Tarn river and around the town of Gaillac
Believed to be one of the first viticultural centres of ancient Gaul, long before Bordeaux
Gaillac exports were limited by Bordeaux’s tariffs and conditions to ship in the middle ages
Warmer climate
All styles: Most commonly spicy structured reds from Duras and Braucol; crisp, dry whites from sauvignon, sémillon and local Mauzac and powerful Len de l’El; sweet whites from Ondenc as well Mauzac & Len de l’El
What is Madiran like?
In Gascogne; south of Armagnac; mainly clay & limestone soils
Climate influenced by the Mediterranean that soften and moistens the vineyards but autumn are usually dry
Tannat is the key grape –min 40-80% of vineyard but usually 100% - supplemented by Cab Franc, Cab Sauv and Fer
Micro-oxygenation (i.e. precise oxygenation of wine early in fermentation and/or in maturation) developed here to soften the strong tannins of Tannat and make the wines more approachable earlier
FULL BODIED, TANNIC, BRAMBLY
What are the main production factors for SW France?
Hindered by both Bordeaux trade and difficulty shipping from the south/competing with prices of Languedoc Roussillon.
3.4million hL, evenly split white red, only 10-20% exported
Vines generally split evenly between producers and 23 coops (Plaimont)
What is Jurancon like?
JURANCON AC and JURANCON SEC AC
One of France’s earliest AC
Hilly relatively cool corner at the foot of the Pyrénées
Vines are espalier trained to avoid recurrent spring frosts on the steep limestone and clays slopes
Grape varieties: Gros Manseng (mostly for dry wines), Petit Manseng (mostly for sweet wines) and Courbu
Sweet Jurancon produced using PASSERILLAGE (grapes dried on the vine), harvested are at least 2 passages (up to December time) and aged in oak.
The sweet wines develop aromas of tropical fruit (pineapple, mango)
What is Fronton like?
Dynamic appellation; 35kmNorth of Toulouse
Négrette is the key grape – min 50-70% of AC wine w Fer, Syrah, Cab Franc and Cab Sauv
The red wines (85% of production) are DARK and TANNIC w aromas of violet and licorice.
Rosé Negrette drunk young
A BIT of white from Mauzac
The cooperative is an important producer
Name some important local IGPs
IGP Comté Tolosan: covers all of SW France
IGP Gers: Departmental
IGP Cotes du Gascogne: Armagnac region
Crisp, easy-drinking whites from Colombard, Ugni blanc, Gros Manseng, Sauv Blanc, Chard
